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Finding Mr Right

Pamela Kilcoyne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:01:16 +0000

Mags Treanor investigates the art of dating in the 21st century.

They say that the best place to meet your future partner is at college. Considering that not everybody goes to college, I’m not sure I can agree. Besides, when I

think back to my own college days, I was way too romantic and idealistic to even remotely fall in love with anyone who might have had a scrap of sense with regard to the harsh ways of the real world for which we would both be heading. There was romance alright, mostly short lived. There was always someone on the scene. There were even times that I woke up beside my new love, even if I could have sworn I’d gone home from the party on my own.

So it’s true that you meet people at college, but what about ‘the one’, the person who you want to share your life with? It seems that these days the ballroom of romance is no more. Gone are the days of men and women lined up along different walls of the dance floor waiting for the slow set. Nowadays we source our partners the same way we do our shopping – online and with a checklist. There was a time that it was surrounded with all sorts of taboos. Meeting somebody online was compared to the personal ads, and lets face it, even if nobody said it out loud, we all believed that the personals were for people who just couldn’t find a partner no matter how many dances they went to.

But it’s not really like that, is it? It probably never was. From the start, I’ve always found online dating to be a bit similar to shopping online. Not that I planned to buy a catalogue husband or anything. I’d love to have done something like that but I just wouldn’t have had the money to get exactly what I was looking for. No, it was just the idea of more choice, and being able to plan and pick out exactly what I wanted, rather than being faced with a tiny selection from what was on offer locally. So I started doing online dating before it was even en Vogue. I had recently split up from my first husband (well, ok, my only husband, but first husband sounds a bit sexier than ex-husband). So I wanted an adventure, something to distract me, and I wanted to feel young again. My advert read something like this:
Bitter and twisted, cantankerous, middle-aged obese woman seeks young well-hung Adonis of about 20with plenty of experience please. One night only.

I was, of course, not exactly honest. Although my description of myself was, indeed, fairly apt, what I really wanted was distraction rather than a one night stand. And distraction I got. Within half a day I had received over one hundred offers. By the end of the week my inbox was full. I did have the decency to read them all, but only replied to about three. A few weeks and a bit of banter later I found myself meeting a young fella in a black shirt, not bad looking and a Northern accent to die for. I decided that this was the business. Better to be old and ugly looking at young and sexy than vice versa, but it didn’t seem to bother the young fella so we ended up going for the one night only with breakfast thrown in.

Needless to say there were enough people to tell me how foolish all of this carry on had been and how even serial killers can wear black shirts and speak with Northern accents. I know they had my best intentions in mind, but then again, so did my one night stand and serial killers have been known to lurk around dance halls asking girls out for the slow set. My point, though, is that when you search for love online you are more likely to find a better match, because as I mentioned earlier, you can have a checklist and tick all the boxes in advance.

It’s also true that you can’t believe what you read. Even my own self-description was a tad untrue. You see I may be twisted, but I’m not really bitter, and I’m not all that cantankerous either come to think of it.

A few years after my online adventure, my brother met a woman through an online dating agency. The world of online love had become a lot more fashionable and seemed to be the norm at this stage. My brother and I being polar opposites, I can only guess that his online profile went something like this:
Serious academic historian, lots of college degrees and stuff like that. Vegetarian. Into yoga, politics and classical music. Would like to meet an academic woman in sensible shoes. No make up please.

In fairness, she has some great shoes and they were married eleven months after their first date. And come to think of it, he was definitely never going to meet her tripping over her heels while throwing up outside the pub at two o’clock in the morning, nor was either of them ever going to be found on the dance floor. So I’m right: online is the way to go.

Or is it? A few years ago I met my current partner when we were both on a parent’s association committee together. All that fundraising and bag packing and minute taking was enough to awaken passion between two second- time-rounders. It proves my counter argument, which is that you will only find love if you are not looking for it. But if it crashes into your life and you can fit it in to a schedule you thought was full it’s even better. There is really nothing sexier than grabbing time out between the school run and peeling the potatoes.

So if you are still wondering where the love of your life might be hanging out, my advice is this: join an online dating forum and write a profile of not who you are, but rather, who you would like to be (this is because if you keep telling yourself that you are who you want to be, you will turn into that person eventually). At the same time, tell yourself that you don’t really have the time or the inclination to be falling in love right now. Then join a committee. You’ll be liaised within weeks.

The bottom line when it comes to love though is that it doesn’t really matter where or when or how you meet your beloved. It only matters that it works and that you pretend to everyone else that you met in some exotic romantic place where you were swept off your feet. You then go on to live happily ever after.
s my elderly mother, who tends to get her words confused these days, recently commented:
I really don’t think it’s a bad thing at all that my son met his wife on the microwave!’

How do you love?

Pamela Kilcoyne — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:09:46 +0000

Once upon a time a handsome Chef fell in love with a radiant young Irish girl. This is their story… Words and photography by Móna Wise

I am that lucky girl. I fell in love with the Chef. A man that was not meant for me, for so many reasons, yet the one I wanted to marry from the second I laid eyes on him. I was too young to believe in love at first sight and way too young to know what it would be like to wait and wonder if Mr Right (or Mr Wrong) would come along and rock my world. But there he stood, ponytailed hair tucked under his navy-blue French beret, wearing denim dungarees and a Chez Piggy t-shirt, and a smile that still melts my heart sixteen years later.

He had no interest in me. He was focused and professional; we were working together, so it was all work and no play. I, on the other hand, was relentless. I knew, from the minute I had laid eyes on him, that he was meant for me. I started signing my name ‘Mrs Wise’ in my head on that very first day and doodled it later on my notebook at home while chatting with my Mum, telling her all about my new job. The name had a lovely feel to it. Móna Wise. Or maybe Móna Dempsey-Wise. Nah. No need to make it clunky. ‘Móna Wise’ sounded like she could be someone.

We were hired by a cigar smoking Kentucky millionaire who was a true visionary. He took a gargantuan historic (and terribly neglected) brewery and converted it into a beer lovers playground. Five stories of bars and restaurants catering to everyone from the inexperienced Bud Light aficionado to the champagne bubbles of a Chimay expert. He had chosen his crew carefully, each employee bringing a certain level of expertise to the table. The Chef was in charge of the kitchens, and I responsible for taking care of the guests. We were hired a month before the business opened its doors so had a bit of time to train the crew and flesh out the menus.

Recipes were drafted, tested and tried, resulting in the perfect pub grub to accompany the brewmasters brews and the bartenders bevies. A playful competition threw the Chef and I together when the owner requested a recipe for the best Irish Coffee for the bar menu. I am not a competitive person. I am a bit heedless when it comes to the rules and regulations of games and am a chronic daydreamer; I tend to drift off. When it came to making an Irish coffee there was, in my opinion, no competition. Let’s review the details. To begin with, I am Irish. One of the first things my Mum taught me as a ‘tween’ was how to make a Gaelic coffee; I could do it blindfolded. The Chef, being more worldly than I, and with a huge accolade of fancy qualifications hanging on his wall, around his neck, and in his knife case, assured the others that it would be his recipe for Irish Coffee that would make it on the menu. Ah, dude, aren’t you from Alabama like? The gauntlet had been thrown. Glasses were tempered, coffee was brewed and cream was whipped into pillowy softs. I swished and swirled the perfect glass ablaze with Jameson Gold and sugar clung with caramel legs on the inside, waiting to seep into the coffee, dark and strong; I used instant. Heated teaspoons layered pockets of cream on to the waiting black gold. A sprinkle of coffee granules on top for visual perfection and viola; winner hands down.

My handsome Chef then stepped up to the bar and began whisking his magic in a glass. No skill needed in brewing a pot of (weak) coffee Chef; come on now, show us your stuff! His attempt to layer his (delicious) cream was blundered by a shaky, or dare I say, nervous hand. The boss man stepped in to sample both and declared a winner. It appeared that my coffee, with all its flame, was enhanced to perfection when layered with his whipped cream; we made a good team. All I had to do was get him drunk, on Irish Coffees, to convince him of this fact.

If you are plotting or planning something special for your Valentine this year, why not plan a decadent evening at home together. Food and cooking, like a relationship, takes work and effort to make it fabulous. At the end of the day, it’s worth it, isn’t it?

Off to the ballet

Jo Lavelle — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:49:08 +0000

What better way to kick-start the festive season than with the enchanting classic Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker? Appearing in Galway’s Town Hall Theatre this November 4and 5, with a special matinee screening at 2.30pm on the 5November, ballet students from the East and West of Ireland will join forces with the Monica Loughman Ballet Company to deliver a powerful, talented performance of the magical fairytale. Two dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet Theatre will dance the lead roles.
Hot on the tail of last year’s sold out production “Giselle”, “The Nutcracker” promises to be ‘the’ dance event of the year. This will be a night to remember!
Bookings can be made through the Town Hall Theatre on 091 569777 with tickets priced at €25 and €20 concession.

www.tht.ie

A Tribute To Sarah Brown

Jo Lavelle — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:51:49 +0000

Sarah Brown

There was something about Sarah…her all consuming smile, her stunning beauty, her compassion, her honesty, her passion. When Sarah was around, the air was charged – with her positivity, her beauty, her presence – everything moved up a notch.

As a colleague, Sarah was the consummate professional, who managed to couple that with sincerity and warmth. A perfectionist, a joy to work with.

She was LIMERICKnow Magazine, and she’ll be missed greatly by us all.

The Bubbleology Roadshow

Dean Jackson — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:53:30 +0000

BUBBLEOLOGY POPS UP AT HARVEY NICHOLS DUBLIN

2nd & 3rd September, 10am-6pm

Harvey Nichols Dublin and Bubbleology are delighted to invite you to their press preview bubble tea café on Friday 2nd September from 10am til 6pm.

Bubbleology already has a large celebrity following in London with fans that include Jameela Jamil, Gizzie Erskine, Razorlight, The Feeling and Poppy Delevigne – and now the cult drink will pop up for two days only in Dublin.

Bubble tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980′s from a single market stall and is dubbed Taiwan’s national drink, with over 8,000 bubble tea cafes across the country.

With a red or green tea base, bubble teas have a delicious fruit infusion and are served in either fruit or milk flavours with the highly addictive addition of tapioca pearls at the bottom of the cup. The pearls have a “gummy bear” texture but with 0% fat and tasty caramel undertones, all sipped up through a crazy coloured oversized straw.

Delicious flavours include Passionfruit, Lychee, Apple and Mango fruit teas, and Chocolate, Taro, Coconut, Almond, Jasmine and Assam milk teas.

Bubbleology will be popping up for customers for one weekend only at Harvey Nichols Dublin, from 10am – 6pm on Friday 2nd September and Saturday 3rd September in the Food Hall.

Michelle Lally – Vintage Fashionista

Caitlin Hacker — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:52:54 +0000

Michelle Lally, who has just returned home from travelling to Italy with leading traditional Irish group, De Dannan, is the epitome of a girl’s girl. The bands lead singer, Michelle has a keen eye for fashion. A fan of 1940’s style, Michelle talks to Caitlin Hacker on essential make-up tips while out on the road and why her fashion remains a top priority.

Michelle, who has performed with De Dannan for US President, Barak Obama and opened for The Rolling Stones, recalls that her biggest fashion influence while growing up was her mother.

“My mother was and still is a very glamorous woman. She made a lot of her own clothes and she modeled in Limerick in the 70’s, as did my father so fashion was always a huge part of my life”

Michelle’s admiration for fashion is obvious in her own old-Hollywood, movie star looks. She is wearing a black sweater with a scarf, plain trousers and a pair of black flats. She wears natural make-up with bright red lipstick. Simple, yet classically beautiful. “I love the screen legends and old Hollywood greats like Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. I grew up watching them and I always found any kind of an excuse to put on the red lipstick and the high heels,” says Michelle.

And with the Galway Races fast approaching, Michelle can’t find a better excuse to showcase her love of vintage fashion. “My outfit for the races is black and very much inspired by the 1940’s and 1950’s. It has a ruffled skirt with a corseted waist and a black Bolero jacket. It’s from Enchanted Vintage down at the end of Eglinton Street.” The shop, which Michelle claims as one her favorites, houses all things vintage and captures perfectly Michelle’s love of olden-day glamour.

In between traveling with De Dannan and recording their new album, “Jigs, Reels & Rock n’ Roll,” Michelle says it is essential to bring classic pieces on tour. “I always have to have a comfortable pair of trousers, classic cut, the flat shoes for traveling, a warm cardigan, and a scarf. I think scarves are a great accessory. And I can’t go anywhere without my red lipstick,” says Michelle. As for her style on stage versus everyday, Michelle says that’s where it can differ. “When I’m at home I like to be at home and comfortable. When I’m on stage I like to wear long and flowy dresses, things that move well for performing.”

Fashion was something Michelle was always drawn towards, which caused music to take a back seat, largely due to a fear of being unsuccessful. “Music was always what I wanted to do but I never really had the courage to pursue it. I had a natural flare for fashion and it seemed to be my natural calling,” says Michelle. And after moving to Norway at the age of 18 to become an Au Pair, she then went to London and the US. “I lived in the states for 8 years where I worked in Chanel, the clothing store BeBe and Bloomingdales. From there, I was recruited to the Chanel boutique in New York City on 57th Street. Being around that kind of fashion and going from the High Street look in BeBe to the high-end designers was a great learning curve for me. Working there also allowed my creative side to come out in terms of make-up and beauty tricks.”

Her beauty tricks, some more recently adopted than others, have become routine and are now a necessary part of her demanding job. “Obviously, I’m going to use a lot of make-up for work and for being on stage. The hours are sociable and can go on quite long so when I come home I make sure I do not go to bed with any make-up on. The whole routine starts with cleansing and moisturizing. Because I worked in Chanel, I love their day and night creams. It’s a long process at night but it pays off in the end because your skin needs a break. It needs time to breathe and I think skin care is key to looking good. And I always need something for my lips because they get so dry when you’re traveling.”

Michelle’s demeanor matches her frame, petite and lovely. Her skin is smooth and youthful. “You can put on all the make-up you want but underneath all of that, if your skin isn’t well prepared then the make-up isn’t going to sit well or last long. You need to get your skin prepared. And you should make sure you feel your best when you’re out. That’s part of being a woman.”

She admits to doing no exercise. “I’m very bad. I’ve signed myself up for a long charity walk so I am trying to get in the mindset to get in shape. But the one thing I will do, and only recently realized how important it is, is drink a lot of water. It does wonders for your skin and your health. I also put olive oil on my skin and in my hair if I think it needs an extra boost.”

The singer, who credits her great musical push to fellow band member and De Dannan founder, Frankie Gavin, also finds it essential to incorporate fashion from each destination of her travels. “I’ll buy something from everywhere we go, whether it’s Dubai or France or Italy. I think it’s great to have something and say, ‘I know where I got this from.’ I love picking up little fashion pieces along the way.” On her home soil of Ballinsloe in Co. Galway, Michelle has a few local favorites that tailor perfectly to her taste. “I love Charlene McCaffrey from Athlone. She has that vintage feel to her clothes and she’s also very inspired by the 1940’s, which works perfectly for me. Matt Doody is also another designer I love. And I also really love Heather Finn from Galway. Her knitwear is great.” And as far as shops go, Michelle is both traditional and modern in her choice of favorites. “My new found favorite is Enchanted Vintage. I also love Fran and Jane. Okinara in Moycullen is another favorite because I always get great prices there and Yvonne Byrne is great at helping me choose the right outfit for certain gigs.”

As our conversation comes to an easy end, Michelle gets up to leave for a day of rehearsals. And after she says goodbye and I watch the petite woman dressed in black leave the hotel, I know that I had just met a modern day Irish beauty with old-Hollywood good looks that holds the best secret a woman can have: to just feel beautiful.

Photography: Colm Hogan. www.colmhogan.com

Clothes: Enchanted Vintage Clothing. www.vintageclothing.ie

Hats: By Vivien Sheriff Millinery, The Galway Hat Shop. www.hatshop.ie

Hair: Pat O’Neill. www.patoneill.ie

Shot on location at Hotel Meyrick, The G Hotel and The Pullman Restaurant at the Glenlo Abbey.

One More Thing, Then I’ll Be Happy!

Mags Treanor — Fri, 06 May 2011 07:30:16 +0000

Years ago, back in the days of green pound notes and proper recessions, a friend of mine managed to make her mother’s worst nightmare come true: she got pregnant while still at college. Of course, it wasn’t really a nightmare at all. Both parents were in love, they got married and the new baby, now an adult, was and still is the source of much joy.

The hard thing was this though: they were students living in a bedsit with a new baby. Their only methods of transport were an old red Honda 50 and a pushbike. Whenever I called over to visit, which was quite regularly considering their limited cash flow and babysitting issues, the place was full of clothes draped on the heaters to dry, ESB bills and the smell of sour milk. The situation wasn’t perfect and they weren’t really happy, but at least they knew what had to happen to make them happy. It was this: once they finished college and got some kind of job, it would enable them to rent a bigger flat somewhere, maybe even a little house in the suburbs. Then everything would be hunky dory. It even seemed quite reasonable and not too far away.

The situation wasn’t perfect and they weren’t really happy, but at least they knew what had to happen to make them happy

But something else happened: out of the blue, my friend inherited a farm, pub and undertaking business from a bachelor uncle who she had not seen in years. Their luck had changed. Now it was time to be happy.

So skip ahead about twenty years. Last week I went to see my friend: no house full of drying clothes and I’m guessing no unpaid bills. The place smelt of magnolia and we drank café lattes on the heated patio. The only remnant of their former life back in the bedsit was this: they are still convinced that if only this or that happens, then they’ll be happy. Their current belief being that when they get the new automatically controlled gates put up, they’ll be happy. They’ll be happy because the house will be safer and they will be able to sleep better.

It was only after I’d finished bitching about them on the phone to a friend that I realised I’m a bit like that myself. Only in my case, I believe that it’s when I finish writing my novel I’ll be happy. Deep down I know that when it’s done, I’ll then believe that if it gets published I’ll be happy, and if that happens it’ll be about sales, and if sales rocket, well then I can tell myself that happiness is all about writing a second novel. So why is it that we never seem to be happy with what we’ve got? Is it human nature that always makes us crave for the bigger, the better, the latest model, or even just for change?

I’ve decided that it’s not really a bad thing. First of all, curiosity has to be one of the drivers of our discontent. We are all curious about what we do not have, and in some ways, that is what has made us evolve as a species. Had our ancestors just sat around feeling happy with their lives in the caves, they might still be there now, or worse, we could have become extinct! Not being happy enough with the ability of our legs to carry us we have invented transport, from the roller skate to the rocket.

So in many ways, not being satisfied with our lot is also the mother of progress and invention. We need a little bit of underlying discontent in order to function. I even like to argue that not being happy until I get a designer handbag can actually be a good thing, because it forces me to work for the money which will make this possible, and this in turn causes productivity and creates wealth! But will getting the bag really make me happy?

So in many ways, not being satisfied with our lot is also the mother of progress and invention

There is a point where we have to distinguish between being content and fulfilled as opposed to being driven by our superficial needs such as the handbag. So how do we manage to balance both? Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are not sure whether you are a generally content person with a few wishes you wouldn’t mind having fulfilled, or if your life really has to go on hold until you get that handbag!

The grass is NOT always greener! Don’t be fooled by what other situations look like. You just don’t know the reality of what other people are experiencing, so it’s irrational to think you’d be better off if you had what they have or did what they do. In actual fact, they might be secretly modelling themselves on your lifestyle, envying the characteristics that seem unimportant to you. Apart from that, happiness doesn’t mean being perfect. Every situation has its down days, but that doesn’t mean that you’d be better off someplace else.

You DON’T have to keep up with the Jones’s! If you can’t stand people boasting or hanging it all out, then why would you do it yourself? If you have put your heart, soul and life savings into buying a ten year old banger to get you in and out of town, who cares that next door just bought a brand new BMW? Whenever I have achieved something I’ve worked for, I prefer to remember how many people would be so grateful to have what I’m lucky enough to have, rather than focus on what I don’t or could have that’s better.

Remember that life is NOW! We all need to plan for the future and set goals, and equally, the past is a great place to gather memories and experiences from. That said, it’s important to relish the present. As Emerson once wrote, ‘We are always getting ready to live, but not living.’

Positive Thinking! We all have down days and most of us will be hit by tragedy at some time in our lives. One thing I do to prevent myself from becoming too negative at times like this is to look for something positive or at least a learning curve in every setback that I encounter.

Believe that People Mean Well! It’s easy to knock the lifestyle or opinions of friends and family members. But by having unrealistic expectations of what people should do or how they should act will leave you disappointed. The bottom line is that most people mean well, even if you are able to see what they could do better. Let them off!

Keep a Gratitude Diary! There is always something you can be thankful for. I like to keep a gratitude diary and fill it with all of the things I can be thankful for, whether it be something as enormously important as the health of my loved ones, or the simple fact that the ‘two for the price of one’ offer in the supermarket meant we were able to have strawberries for desert!

Eating Light

Aoibheann Mac Namara — Wed, 04 May 2011 07:30:56 +0000

Have you ever been curious to find out how slim, healthy people stay slim and healthy? Aoibheann McNamara shows us how it’s done.

I have done it all. Week long fasting, colonics, food combining, ayurvedic analysis, chewing techniques, eating for blood types, high level vitamin supplements, liver flushes. You name it, I have tried it. I have now incorporated all of these to create a way of eating that works for me and which I feel is encapsulated in two simple words, ‘eat light’.

I try to stick by a few self made rules in order to stay healthy, which is more important to me than being slim. This is my eating and exercise plan and I hope that it is of interest to readers looking to change their eating habits. I can still get as tired as we all are at times, but I have alot more energy with this plan. In no particular order here is what works for me:

Know your Ayurvedic type.

I am Pitta Vatta which means I need to eat little and often. If you are Pitta and don’t realise it you may be eating three square meals a day and may need four smaller ones. Ayurveda is a system native to India and I had this analysis done while traveling there but it is available in Ireland too. It is an interesting tool as everyone is different so one way of eating will suit one person and not another. It is important to bear in mind that this is why these bestselling diets rarely work and why it is important to adapt your diet to your own particular needs and lifestyles.

Eat organic.

Everything I eat is organic or else full of good energy. I shop small and local McCambridges and the Saturday market over Tesco and I feel this helps everything including the end product. You should buy nothing that your grandmother wouldn’t recognise so avoid anything packaged or processed in a supermarket. Food should be clean with no additives. I eat fresh natural yogurt like Glenisk, homemade breads, fruit, vegetables, artisan cheeses, organic pasta, lentils, and freshly juiced juices. Basically simple and clean and food you make can yourself. No prepackaged dinners from M&S or made up cheesecakes full of preservatives. A better alternative is to have a few squares of pure dark chocolate. An excellent book on all this is ‘Food Rules – An eaters Manual’ by Michael Pollan.

Drink lots of water.

Try to drink at least six large glasses of water a day or herbal teas high in anti oxidants. Water is an excellent laxative, gives energy, keeps skin clear and is essential for good health. In terms of fluids with food, it’s a no no. Try to drink between meals and not at meals. I break this rule with wine as I actually find wine can help digestion but I drink very little. Never eat after 6pm if you can help it. The food sits in your stomach all night and is extremely bad for you. I always feel heavy after a night out with a late dinner. Eat your biggest meal in the morning; breakfast should be with protein, lots of fruit and positive carbohydrates. Lunch again should be large with key primary or vegetable proteins and then a light meal at night. Below is a menu that works for me.

Food-combining.

Food combining means many things but the key is not to eat proteins with carbohydrates which can be difficult in our culture. At least try to avoid the bad white carbohydrates in favor of better carbs like brown rice. Carbohydrates are very important but we can limit their heaviness by having oatcakes instead of pan bread and good organic porridge over processed cereals in the morning. Select your carbs well and you will see a big difference in terms of energy, wellness and if you’re looking for weight loss this is the single most important thing to watch. Simple things like choosing a chocolate mousse over a chocolate cake at the end of your meal is a much lighter choice. I rarely eat cakes and biscuits but will have a few squares of organic dark chocolate every day with a soya yogurt or some fruit as a treat and these small things I find make a big difference.

Eat mainly vegetarian.

I eat meat twice a week at the very most, all other meals are vegetarian. This is good for the animal population, for my health and for the cost of my food for the week. There seems to be a perception that if you don’t have meat in your meal it is not a proper meal. This is not true. Eating fish and vegetarian options are less heavy and much better for you than red meat so you feel better, highlighting my basic core principal ‘Eat Light’.

Exercise.

Exercise should be a part of your life plan not something you have to do. I exercise in some form or another five times a week and am training for the Icelandic marathon in August. That involves 3-4 jogs of 6 miles at a time and building up every week. The wellness you feel when you exercise at that level is fantastic and helps you emotionally, physically and professionally. Exercise is a key component in being well. In Galway we have the prom, amazing yoga centers, endless nature and the sea. I say get out this summer and jog the prom and jump in the sea for a swim and see how amazing you can feel.

Eat fruit and vegetables.

At least 5 of each a day – I try to get most of them in a fresh hard core organic juice because I find plodding though a salad a bit difficult. Increase you fruit and vegetable intake and you will see a difference in your skin, energy and wellness. It will also affect your bowel movements. A healthy bowel is a healthy body and when the food passes through with ease it shows a balanced diet. On this point, regular colonics or home-administered enemas can be great.

Vitamins.

Most women in America consider the vitamin box as important as the skin care range. I encountered a beautiful Iranian woman in India clutching a green magma powder. We got chatting and she gave me a list of all that she was taking and information on the all important green powder, Dr Hagiwara Barley grass powder which detoxifies and alkalises the body. Right now I am taking amino acid, magnesium, zinc, fish oils, rhodiola, spirulina, echinechea, source of life multivitamin and of course a daily dose of green magma which I solely attribute to my lack of tiredness which I had since the birth of my child. What vitamins you take is up to you. Ask the wonderful team at Evergreen for a few suggestions and you will have added energy and vitality.

Try to avoid wheat and dairy.

Not a total ban but a lot of people are lactose and wheat intolerant and don’t know it. Soya and rice products are a great substitute. The body does not need all this and finds it hard to digest. Give your body a rest for a while and see how much better you feel and how much more energy you can have.

Eating during pregnancy.

This is not an opportunity to make your way through the whole repertoire of McVitties biscuits. If the food is not good food it will need to be worked off at some stage. This is the time in your life as a woman where you should eat the best and most nutritious food available. I followed the Indian doctor Gowri Motha ‘The gentle Birth Method’ and the chapters on food I found the most beneficial. I would encourage anyone who is pregnant to get the book and adhere to her sound practices. This is a time to nourish yourself and your baby. Lots of light high energy, high protein foods, fresh juices, fruit and vegetables. I know it is hard but it will stand to you in every way and especially make the birth easier and also the post partum recovery better. In terms of exercise try to keep this up even just a simple walk of the prom as the fresh air is so important.

Finally, food is a great joy and a great gift so enjoy it! Eat good quality products created and produced with integrity and feeling from local wholesome suppliers – their energy will give you energy and we all need energy. We are ideally positioned in Galway to have an optimum life and wellness through the surrounding natural beauty. Let us take advantage of that and commit to a wonderful exercise plan for the summer that will have us looking and feeling the best we have in years. The practices that we adopt today will help us in the future, not just for a longer life but a healthier and in turn happier life.

Everything is interconnected and wellness is something we can all feel. Choose your foods wisely and look at portion sizes, eat less and train your stomach to eat smaller. We all eat too much and we don’t need it all. Adopt a daily food practice that is ecological, ethical and beneficial to all. Most of all cherish food and like the French women do, eat sensibly six days of the week but then go for it on the seventh with the finest and the best and savoir every mouthful of that fillet mignon. Balance in your approach to your eating plan is as important as any other component. We have only one run at life and we should be at our optimum weight and fitness. We owe this to ourselves and if we are lucky enough to have children, to our children too.

Menu Plan: A Typical Day for Aoibheann

Breakfast 7am

Hot lemon and ginger first thing with 10 vitamin supplements

Homemade granola, lots of blueberries or fruit and natural soya yogurt

Mid morning 10am

Health bar and herbal tea

Lunch 1.30pm

Goats cheese salad with small bowl of vegetable soup healthy brown soda bread

Soya fruit yogurt

5.30pm

Hummus with oat cakes and organic apple

Green and black organic chocolate as a treat

I always have an organic vegetable juice with spirulina

Lots of water and 8 green magma tablets for extra energy

Drink very little alcohol max 3 glasses wine a week

No smoking

Do My Abs Look Flat in This?

Ian Cusack — Wed, 04 May 2011 07:30:50 +0000

We know women worldwide fight a constant battle with issues of body image but do men even care about their waistline? Ian Cusack provides a male perspective on body insecurity.
It’s a by-product of how society has developed, or rather how we have let it develop; this modern phenomenon of body image insecurities. While we would like to think that pride in appearance has always existed, the progression into unhealthy obsession coincided with the rise of materialism and the new-found devotion to mimic celebrities. The issue of women struggling to come to terms with their bodies is a challenge we hear about every day. From the no carb diet to the no protein diet, the no food diet to the cigarettes and alcohol diet, we’ve read about them all and thousands of women have subjected their bodies to such punishment. This compulsion to shed pounds has seen diseases such as anorexia and bulimia rise steadily in recent years as this trend shows little sign of retreating.

It only takes one FHM to land us in the doghouse

The blame for this current problem appears to rest with two parties. Firstly, there are the female celebrities who starve themselves or promote certain unhealthy diets, fuelling the body image crisis and projecting a negative image towards other females who see these celebrities as role models. Secondly, there are us men. That’s right, just like every other female problem, men have to take the rap is some shape or form. If we so much as glance at a supermodel we’re seen as placing unfair pressure on our female peers to replicate the super-skinny nip and tuck look of Hollywood. Despite our constant protestations about the allure of real boobs or how we prefer “the body of a real woman”, it only takes one FHM to land us in the doghouse.

It’s not lost on us men that hunks like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Leonardo Dicaprio aren’t exactly skin and bone

Much less frequently broached is the issue of men’s body insecurities. In fact the notion of an Irish man who isn’t obese being self conscious about his body is almost laughable. A proud pat on the belly as he boasts how many pints he put away last night is more akin to the modern Irish male stereotype. Accurate though this image may be, can we really assume the entire male population has escaped this paranoia which has been the scourge of so many women? Do we not co-exist with women in the same image-obsessed society? I mean it’s not like men are immune to perception. It’s not lost on us men that hunks like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Leonardo Dicaprio aren’t exactly skin and bone, in fact most Hollywood pinups have the perfect ‘ripped’ figure. So let’s put the shoe on the other foot and see what it’s like to be a man in the contemporary world, where it’s not what you know or who you know that’s important, but how you look.
If you haven’t noticed the growing emphasis on men’s physical appearance, it’s because you haven’t been looking in the right places. Sure, most sporty lads are covered because the training involved in any field sport pretty much does the hard work for them. Rest assured in every dressing room the length and width of the country, there are egos colliding about who is the strongest, who is the most ripped, who can bench press the most. These dressing rooms really are a man’s world and the hierarchy of respect within stems directly from strength. You see, for women and men, the gym represent different things. Most my female peers readily admit to wanting to lose weight, burn calories and tighten muscles when training, for the lads however it’s all about muscle mass and getting that washboard look that is championed in all men’s health magazines.
For conclusive evidence of this perfect-body obsession you only need to punch the word “bigorexia” into Google. This disease, also known as reverse anorexia or the Adonis complex refers to individuals who are convinced they are too small or skinny despite having above average musculature. Unlike anorexia, bigorexia is most common among males especially in the late teen age demographic, a time when body insecurities are at their peak. Just like females who want to look slimmer, these men want the body that conforms to what is generally considered sexy.
I drive my female friends insane whenever I complain about the fact that my metabolism simply refuses to allow me to gain weight regardless of the volume or quality of what I eat. But they’re looking at the situation from an entirely different perspective. Just as women like to feel confident and attractive in their skin, so do men. This means confidence in one’s body and as a young lad growing up, being skinny does little to harness confidence. To call a girl fat is to hurtfully strip her of her femininity, but much less obvious is the impact of calling a male skinny. Weak is implicit in every mention of skinny and to be branded as such is about as emasculating as things get for a young man. From early adolescence, it’s abundantly apparent that females are drawn to the alpha male; big broad shoulders, a slim waist, strong arms and an overall athletic appearance.
As a young man of 22, I can safely say that I am comfortable with my body, but I am at all times conscious of it. My competitive sports days are behind me but I work out between five and seven times a week. Why? Because I still remember how it felt to be called small and skinny. It’s that sting of degradation that provides motivation when the muscles are tiring.
A possible reason why men’s fixation with working out isn’t debated as widely as women’s eating habits, is the fact that exercise in contrast to extreme dieting, is a healthy pastime. Approach a doctor and tell him your friend spends all his time on the treadmill and doing push-ups and he might well tell you to follow suit, but the physical advantages mask the mental struggle beneath. Pride in appearance and a healthy composition are to be promoted but only when the situation can be controlled. If this hunger for a perfect body is sustained by an underlying insecurity or self-disgust then the man you see doing pull ups in the gym may be in as much turmoil as the underweight girl refusing to eat.

Music One’s to Watch

Jo Lavelle — Tue, 03 May 2011 07:30:57 +0000

Top 5 Rising Talents to look out for on the West’s music scene this year

As music festival season looms, we meet five of the rising talents coming from Galway and Limerick set to take the national stages by storm this year.

THE KANYU TREE

The Kanyu Tree, a three-piece band made up of the Cluskey brothers from Salthill, is arguably one of the most remarkable and talented bands in Ireland at the moment. Made up of Shane on percussion and lead vocals, Daniel on guitar and vocals, and Oisin on bass guitar and vocals; the trio’s genre is classic pop with influences from Prince, Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac. Their sound offers a feel good factor, with upbeat melodies and luscious. harmonies, comparable to legendary bands such as The Beach Boys.

The boys, who are all in their 20s, spent seven of their younger years in Japan. Their name, The Kanyu Tree, is an ode to their family and upbringing; ‘Kanyu’ is a Japanese word for membership with ‘Tree’ signifying family. Very much a family affair, the band uses a converted garage at home (formerly their father’s office before they took ownership!) as their rehearsal space. The band’s progression over the last few years has been exciting to watch. The brothers are passionate about music and have been playing and gigging in different local bands since their early teens before coming together to form what is now, The Kanyu Tree.

Being Galway locals, the lads have always had a loyal West of Ireland following, but for the past two years, Kanyu Tree’s support base has been continually increasing since being signed by worldwide record label Sony Music. Little did the brothers know that the ‘fun’ and hard work had only begun, as over the last two years they have been writing and recording their first official album. It has taken time, talent and patience but the finished piece is promised to be worth the wait. Although they have enjoyed writing and working in studios both here in Galway and in London with producers such as ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ member Ali Shaheed Muhammad, they are eager to begin gigging again to coincide with the album’s release and showcase their developed and evolved sound – the trio keen to see their followers’ reaction to their progression.

As their first official single ‘Radio’ was released on the 15April and the album release date looms later this summer, so does the opening of The Kanyu Tree’s nationwide promotional tour with dates set in both Galway and Limerick in some of their favourite venues such as the Roisin Dubh and Dolans. ‘Radio’ is the first taster from their debut album, and if this is what Kanyu Tree’s music tastes like we want the whole pie please!

For more information, log onto www.thekanyutree.com, Follow @thekanyutree on Twitter, Like ‘The Kanyu Tree’ on Facebook and download their single ‘Radio’ from iTunes and see the ‘Radio’ video on YouTube now. Catch The Kanyu Tree at this year’s ‘Sea Sessions’ festival in Bundoran on 26 June.

CAMPAIGN LK

Campaign LK, while only officially working together since mid-2010, are certainly making their mark on the music scene following in their fellow Limerick band, The Rubberbandits’, notorious footsteps.

Although Campaign LK have been linked to the Rubberbandits, with some of the band members taking part in the ‘Horse Outside’ video and gigging with them on occasion, that is where the comparison ends. They readily set themselves apart from them, offering a different appeal and sound.

The six-piece group is made up of vocalist Keith (Weenz) Ryan (28), singer / songwriter Brian O Brien (27) on keys and guitar, Davey Hatchet (26) on guitar, drummer Petey Passions (25), Conor O Brien (27) on bass and Joey Soss (27) on production and keys (along with their Shillelagh talisman). Campaign LK’s genre is a fusion of hip hop, rock and r&b with song lyrics coming from their real life events and funny stories – titles such as ‘Johnny Got Kidnapped’ – portraying the lads witty humour and interesting characters. The band credits Dr. Dre, the Deftones and Outkast among their musical influences. They have worked with legendary Irish producer, Owen Lewis, who has worked with top artists such as Lady Gaga and The Game – to release their debut EP track ‘Relax’ this summer.

There’s no dispute that Campaign LK have the tools and the talent to put together an amazing EP and live show. These Limerick lads have a reputation for getting crowed gigs adrenalized and going – with some massive nationwide gigs under their belts in Belfast and Dublin including a great show in Galway’s Blackbox – but naming the buzz of their hometown audience in Dolans as their favourite.

Campaign LK acknowledges the positives of living in a recession, admitting that it has allowed musical growth and creativity within the band as the lads aren’t sidelined by other careers at the moment, with Weenz reflecting, “Some of the greatest musicians were products of the last recession; Thin Lizzy and the Dubliners” – to whom they play tribute to with their only cover, an upbeat version of ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’. Recently signed to a UK publishing deal, these ambitious guys have their sights extending Europe to the US and somehow we believe it won’t be a ‘rocky road’ in getting there.

‘Relax’ featuring Mr Chrome from The Rubberbandits is due for release this summer. For more information, log onto www.campaignlk.com, Like ‘Campaign LK’ on Facebook or see the video for ‘Relax’ on YouTube now.

ELAINE MAI

Galway-based singer-songwriter Elaine Mai (26) has a magnificent smoky slap of a voice and a strong hand when it comes to neat, nerve-tingling acoustic pop.

Although proud to still be a member of another of Galway’s newest treasures ‘Go Panda Go’, in 2010 Elaine decided it is was high time to get her solo project off the ground and has recently been recognised primarily as a solo act – which is not surprising with her powerful vocals and melodic sounds.

Mayo-born Elaine describes herself as an electro-acoustic singer and songwriter; she also uses a loop pedal to create her sound. An artist best seen live, she uses her loop pedal to build catchy riffs that “slowly swell into a maelstrom of melody” and has been described as “electro-acoustic looptastic”. Elaine draws influence from a wide range of musicians from Alanis Morrissette and Nirvana to Tracy Chapman.

A late comer to music, Elaine began playing the guitar at sixteen. Since then, Elaine has played some of the best – her highlights being the launch of Gay Pride Dublin 2010, as well as MILK, Europe’s first LGBT music festival – along with playing in superb venues such as The Workmans, the Button Factory and Grand Social. But again, Elaine lists the Roisin Dubh as one of her favourite venues for its great sound and fantastic staff – a venue where she has played support to artists such as Ryan Sheridan, Daithí Ó Drónaí and We Are Losers.

Elaine is currently working on her EP which she will be recording, with Dave Phelan of ‘The Lost Chord’ producing, in Galway’s ‘Forge Studio’.

Look out for Elaine’s 4-5 track EP, due out in July 2011. Download Elaine Mai’s ‘Softly’ free at elainemai.bandcamp.com and Like ‘Elaine Mai’ on Facebook now to keep up to date with gigs, news and more.

DAITHI O DRONAI

Dexterous Daithí O Dronai’s music sets him apart, not just as a musician of impressive ability among his own generation, but for his unique and innovate approach to the way he plays his instruments.

Daithí (21), originally famed for his appearances in television shows such as the All Ireland Talent Show and Sky One’s ‘Must be the Music’, has certainly broken away from any possible negative reality show stigma, proving that these shows can not only be a platform for showcasing your talents, but also for musical growth and networking which Daithi clearly understands is huge in this area of business being a TV, Radio and Journalism student in NUIG.

Daithí plays the electronic synthesised fiddle using a loop pedal which enables him to prerecord different sets and then replay them in unison creating a one man band from a single instrument.

Daithí’s music is unique and original to say the least. It boasts a great pace, catchy beat and a fresh sound – which is ironic as Daithí comes from a family steeped in traditional music. But Daithí believes in using both things he has been thought and teaching himself, drawing influence from many different sources both famous – such as Daft Punk – as well known names and local bands and friends.

Daithí began learning the violin as a child and then played the base guitar in various bands as a teenager. He really began to experiment at the age of 18, playing bass guitar elements on his violin. Daithí confesses that he hadn’t intended on his music being so dance-focused, but as it has evolved, this seems to be the direction it has taken. He enjoys playing a mix of both rehearsed songs and improvisation depending on the way the gig crowd is. He, like many other Galway musicians declares his loyalty and favouritism for the Roisin Dubh for gigging and the Galway music scene in general. Daithí is passionate and dedicated to his music career and future but very modest all the same, admitting that he takes care of the music side of things but his girlfriend Ciara and manager Gugai – look after Daithí and everything else!

Download Daithi’s 7 track EP – which comes with illustrations and colouring pencils! – at daithi.bandcamp.com for only €5 or search ‘Daithi O Dronai’ on iTunes. Also, like ‘Daithí’ on Facebook, follow him on twitter @daithimusic on Twitter.

HERMITAGE GREEN

Hermitage Green, a five piece, is made up of brothers Dan (23) and Barry Murphy (28), Darragh Graham (27), Darragh Griffin (24) and the youngest member Felix Jones (23).

Named after the Murphy brothers’ childhood home place, The Hermitage in Annacotty, Limerick (which lacked a green place to play), Hermitage Green was formed in July of last year after the friends and talented musicians started jamming in the back of another of the Murphy brothers’ pubs The Curragower on Clancy Strand. It was all just for fun until customers insisted they perform a session; an organic progression to the in-demand act they are just a few months on.

Describing themselves as a harmony blend – mix of trad and mainstream music, the band draw a mixture of influence from the likes of Mumford & Sons, Beoga and Michael Jackson. The talented musicians add music from guitar, banjo, hand drum, dobro slide guitar, baurán and bass – resulting in trad, lead guitar, classical music and flamenco influenced sounds, with magical two and three part harmonies.

Although better known as a cover band, Hermitage Green debuted their original music last month [April] in hotspot Dolans to rapturous applause. Renowned for their fluid and relaxed gigs (they don’t have a set list), the band use gigs as their rehearsals due to their busy schedules outside of music – Felix and Barry are professional rugby players with Munster, while the others have careers in teaching, sport and broadcast.

They have played to crowds of thousands pre- and post-games in Thomand Park and have regular slots in Jerry Flannery’s Bar, Scholars Bar, Cobblestone Joes and Dolans. A definite ‘one to watch’, these creative musicians have only offered a taste of what is to come with their aim for 2011 to move from being a cover band to an original act, playing all of their original songs which are currently in script.

Catch Hermitage Green most Sunday evening’s throughout the summer in the Curragower. Add ‘Hermitage Green’ on Facebook to keep up to date with upcoming gigs.

Words by Maeve Berry & Sheena Loughney (www.mbpr.ie) | Pics by Reg Gordon (www.reggordon.com) and Sarah Doyle.